Russian troops continue to bombard the Azovstal steel works in the southern port city of Mariupol and may be preparing for renewed assaults on the facility, according to the Institute for the Study of War's latest update, APA reports citing BBC.
The US-based think tank says Ukrainian defenders of the plant are under continued pressure.
Though it says Russian commanders are still likely to be seeking to starve out the remaining Ukrainian troops, it adds that Russian soldiers may be compelled to launch what it described as a "hasty assault" on the steelworks in order to meet a Kremlin-imposed deadline to fully clear Mariupol, which would likely cause heavy casualties for Russia.
It adds that it is unable to verify reports of such a deadline, which come from Ukrainian sources.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
